Lies of Love and Loathing
by hawaiianbabe927
Summary: After a long, brutal battle Naruto finds Hinata on the verge of death. While rushing her to the hospital he feels a surge of an unfamiliar emotion coursing through him, love. Once he admits it to himself, can he admit it to her? And if he does, can she allow herself to believe she's actually getting her heart's desire?
1. Ch 1 A Sorrow Filled With Agony

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 1 A Sorrow Filled With Agony**

Hinata's POV

Does it matter anymore? No, I don't think so. Everything is going cold, my body is going numb. It's getting increasingly hard to move my fingers and toes. Even the wound in my stomach is losing its pain, it's not getting better I just don't have the energy to continue to feel. But that's okay, I did what I needed, I think. The battle was brutal but at least Naruto is safe, or at least I think he's safe. It doesn't matter that he can't return my feelings, as long as he's okay everything will be fine.

"Hinata! Hinata!" I hear someone chanting through my numbing haze. "Hinata!" The voice sounds demanding and panicked, and it's a voice I know well.

_Naruto_. I think, trying to open my heavy, unwilling eyelids. It feels hopeless, my body won't allow me to respond to him. Although I can't feel much I can feel him shaking me as he continues to call out my name.

"Hinata please answer me!" he pleads shaking me harder.

"Naruto," I manage to get out, sounding a lot like I'm tired. It takes almost everything in me to get my eyes open.

A franic chuckle leaves him as he quickly clutches me to his chest, then pulls me back to examine me. "Hinata, everything will be alright. I promise."

I try to give him a smile as I reach my hand up to place three fingers on his sorrow filled face, the action taking an unbelievable amount of strength and will power. "As long as you're okay, I know it will be. I'm sorry I wasn't stronger. I wish I could be here to see your dreams come true. You'll make an amazing Hokage." My eyelids begin to droop again and my breathing catches. "Naruto Uzumaki."

"Don't talk like that, you will get to see me become Hokage. You just need to hang in there and keep fighting." Naruto shakes me again, trying to awaken me further.

"I wish it were that simple." The words will only come out as a whisper as my hands fall from his face. My body can no longer support my eyelids and they fall as well, allowing me to be swallowed by the lingering darkness.

Naruto's POV

"I wish it were that simple," she whispers just before her eyes close completely and her hand drops. Hinata's body then goes completely limp in my arms.

"No," is the only thought my mind and mouth can form. "Hinata!" I shout cradling her tightly against my chest, my right hand cupping the back of her head and hold the side of my face to hers. I expect to feel the nine tailed fox try to rise within me, but this isn't anger consuming my body. It's sorrow, a sorrow so horrible I can't bear it. There's a terrible clinching in my chest as I clutch her cut up body to myself even harder.

"Naruto!" someone yells from behind me. "Naruto! Oh no." Sakura says her face coming into view in front of me. "Is she?" She doesn't have to finish before I nod my head, unable to speak. Sakura places her fingers to Hinata's wrist and lets out a hysterical laugh. "Naruto she's not dead," the pink haired girl almost shouts.

"What?" is the only thing I can get out.

"She's not dead, but you have to lay her down." Sakura tugs at the vice grip I have on Hinata. Reluctantly, I set the precious body gently on the ground, delicately allowing her to rest upon the soil. "Unzip her jacket," Sakura orders.

"What?"

"Unzip her jacket! I need to heal the wound!" She already has out bandages and other medical toold I can't name. "Now Naruto!" she yells, laying out her supplies. When I do as she says she begins focusing her chakra into her hands and places them over the open wound in Hinata's stomach.

"Come on, come on, come on," I whisper repeatedly, holding tightly onto her hand. I feel my heart squeeze in my chest when I see the slight movement in Hinata's chest. "Come on Hinata, you can do this. I just need you fight."

"Naruto quiet," Sakura shushes. I need to concentrate." Her tone although forceful, isn't harsh.

It's almost painful to watch as Sakura works on Hinata and I swear the anticipation is so heavy it could crush my lungs. But I all I can do is watch and wait. "Please. Please. Please." That one word keeps falling silently off my lips.

Sakura gives me a slight glare when I hold Hinata's hand to my chest, but it's all I can do to keep from screaming for Hinata to stay with me. I have no idea how it's been before Sakura pulls her hands back. "What is it? What's wrong? Why did you stop?" My hands squeezed Hinata's tighter, as though if I held on hard enough she wouldn't be able to leave me.

Sakura reached up and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and sighs. "Nothing is wrong Naruto, Hinata should be okay but we have to get her to the hospital. Other than bandage her up, there's nothing else I can do for here."

"Then put the bandages on her and let's go."

"Give me a moment Naruto."

"She doesn't have a moment!" I shout, my body unable to contain the unwelcome fear and anxiousness any longer. She needs to be at the hospital _now_ and I won't lose her just because you feel tired!" I could tell my sudden outburst had startled her, but somehow my mind couldn't care. Hinata has a small window of opportunity and I need to get her to it before it closes.

Without further argument, Sakura does as I asked and wrapped the wounded girl in white strips meant to keep her wounds from bleeding and safe from infection. The moment she's done I have Hinata on my back and am running full speed in the direction of the village.

Now I feel the nine tail's spirit rise from within me, giving me the burst of energy needed to get this precious girl to the doctors in time. I don't bother waiting for the pink haired girl, by the time she reaches the hospital Hinata will already be in the care of the village's specialist. A slight groan of protest emerges from behind me as I push off a tree branch awkwardly and I feel my heart's gently sigh of relief. "Hinata, just hang in there. We're almost there. I promise you'll be okay, but you have to fight a little longer," I encourage the unconscious body behind me.

Although I fully intend on bringing her to the hospital, my mind realizes that the doctors were not the ones she needs to be in the care of. "Grandma Tsunade, you have to help her quick!" I scream bursting through the Hokage's office door.

"Naruto!" she bellows at the intrusion. "What's going here?" Tsunade is now on her feet with her hands slammed into the top of her desk.

"Hinata's hurt and you have to help!" My voice is loud and demanding, and is similar to that of a desperate man. "Please! She's hurt real bad! You have to do something!"

It only takes moments of silence before Shizune had Hinata off my back and in front of Grandma Tsunade. "It looks like someone already healed her," notes the woman with the purple diamond on her forehead.

"Sakura did," I confirmed, taking a step closer to Hinata. "But she said she needed more help than what could be provided in the field. Which is why I brought her to you." I don't know why I felt so formal while explaining this to her.

"Why? There are many capable doctors at the hospital."

"Yeah, but none of them are you. Come on Grandma Tsunade, do your stuff."

The Hokage sighs deeply but is soon ordering me out of her office and lying Hinata on the ground. I caught the words, "she should be in a hospital for something like this" slipping breathlessly from her mouth, but I didn't put much thought into it as I sit on the hardwood floor outside her doorway. Before too long Tsunade emerges from the room with Hinata in her arms.

"Is there something wrong?" I'm on my feet instantly, trying to prepare myself for anything she might say.

"Nothing's wrong," she exasperates. "But she _needs_ to go to the hospital. They have antibiotics and other medication she'll need." Stepping closer, I reach to take Hinata from her. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to take her to the hospital like you said." I gently pull against her hod on Hinata.

I can tell an argument was beginning to bubble out of her, but something made her stop and just nod to me. "Okay, go. Be quick about it."

When she places Hinata in my arms, I give her a brief nod and rush to the hospital. I'm not sure how long it is until the doctors come out to tell me everything that's going on with her -and in truth I didn't understand most of it- but there is one thing I do understand. "She's going to be alright."

It's incredible how those five words have the power to reaffirm the breathing pattern of my body. I'm in her room and by her bedside the moment her doctor gives me the okay. There's a faint bruise developing along the side of her jaw and small strips of white cloth taped to her right cheek. With my left hand, I stroke her knuckles with the pad of my thumb and with my right hand I use my fingertips to to glide across the base of her cheekbone. "Thank you for fighting," I whisper, resting my forehead against hers. "You did so great. I only need you to do one last thing for me... Wake up."


	2. Ch 2 Thank You For Fighting

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 2 Thank You For Fighting**

**Hinata's POV**

"Come on Hinata, you can do this," I hear faintly when the aching in my body slowly warms. The sounds around me are hard to understand, but the less I feel my injuries the easier it is o make them out. I try my best to reply to the voice that seems to appear the most, but I can only get bit and pieces of the world outside the body that is so unwilling to open its eyes. "She doesn't have a moment!" the voice cries more loudly, making it easier to hear. " She needs to be at the hospital now and I won't lose her because you feel tired!"

I can feel myself being lifted, but am still unable to take any control of my own limbs. The most I'm able to accomplish is a soft grunt when my body feels something it doesn't like, even though I have no idea what. "Hinata, hang in there. We're almost there. I promise you'll be okay, but you have to fight a little bit longer," the voice comforts.

I wish I could describe the feeling as floating, but that isn't like that at all. It's more like being trapped, I can feel and sense everything around me but I'm not allowed the liberty of reacting to it in any way. "What's going on here?" a new voice shouts.

There's more speaking but my ears are unable to catch it all, only picking up fractions. "Please! She's hurt real bad! You have to do something!" the familiar voice demands. Soon there's more comforting warmth until my incompetent body finds such relief my mind drifts into a deeper stupor before stopping all together.

I don't know how long it's been, but I'm slightly awakened -not enough to move anything, including my eyelids- but enough to interpret the noises and touches around me. There's a bed and pillow beneath the weight of my body, a needle in my arm, bandages scattered randomly from my face down to my legs, and a pair of hands lightly skimming the skin pf one of my hands and the cheek without a bandage on it. Something warm and soft, resembling a lot like skin, is pressed against the crown of my head, soon followed by a forehead leaning against my own. "Thank you for fighting," a voice whispers, a voice I'm able recognize as Naruto's. "You did so great. I only need you to do one last thing for me." He pauses for a brief moment before making his request. "Wake up."

I try my hardest to respond; open my eyes, make a noise, twitch my finger, anything. But it's no use, each attempt I make to move is useless. After countless, futile attempt at movement it finally crosses my mind, _this is all probably just a dream. Naruto wouldn't be by my side in the hospital, he's be at Ichiraku's Ramen, celebrating our village's victory with Choji, Shikamaru, Lee, and many others. _It would be logical for him to be here right now. However it is a nice fantasy. Naruto by my bedside, anxious for me to wake up so he can take me into his arms.

Many voices come and go throughout an unknown period of time, however one seems to be constant in the room. My imagination is almost cruel, I can hear his voice and feel his touch; imagining both senses so vividly I can almost convince myself that it's real. Many would find this to be a wonderful dream -which it was at first- however the effectively my mind can conjure this, the worse it will be when I wake up and had to accept it was nothing more than my brain's attempt to soothe the desires of my heart.

"Grandma Tsunade, why hasn't she woke up yet?" Naruto asks. "It's been almost eighteen hours, shouldn't she be awake by now?"

"Naruto, she has a lot of medication in her system, one of them being heavy pain killers," says a voice I assumed to be the Hokage's.

"Yeah but still, she hasn't moved unless someone's moved her." Anxiousness seemed to weave itself into his tone and even if he was only a figment of my imagination, my heart still longs to comfort him. I do everything I can to muster up all the energy inside myself to force my way out of my drug induced stupor.

"Naruto," I'm able to squeak out quietly, basically doing nothing more than exhaling the word.

There's a quick shuffling of feet then someone grips my hand with both of theirs. "Hinata?"

I have no idea how, but I'm somehow able to find enough strength to open my eyes a fraction; my eyelids still drooped heavily but now I'm able to make out the silhouette of a boy dressed in a red jacket. "Naruto," I murmur once again.

If I squinted my eyes just right I could see a smile on the boy's face. "Hinata, you're awake," he announces with a small laugh of -what sounded like- relief. "That's grea-"

"Shh," I shush because I'm too weak to lift my index finger to his lips to silence him. "Don't talk, I might wake up and I don't wanna wake up. This is a good dream," I mumble out stupidly.

"What are you talkin about? You _are_ awake."

A breathy chuckle huffs its way out of me. "No, I'm not."

Naruto's face scrunches up and he turns to Lady Tsunade. "What's wrong with her Grandma?"

"I've already been over this with you, Hinata has suffered a blow to the head and the doctors gave her heavy painkillers," Lady Hokage explains pensively. "Just be happy she's awake, other have been known to be in comas for days after injuries such as hers."

The blonde haired boy groans, but swivels in his seat to look at me once more. "So why do you think this is a dream?" he asks, his voice soft and sweet.

Something deep in the back of my mind is trying to stop the words from coming out, but the filter between my brain and moth is malfunctioning. "Because you're here."

Naruto begins to open his mouth, but Lady Tsunade places a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from whatever it was he wished to say. "Hinata, what do you remember?" she asks her tone gentle but serious.

I try to figure out what part of my past she wanted me to inform her about, but come up empty handed. "It was dark, and then it was quiet, then louder. And she couldn't do anything else." My mind is far too fuzzy and muddled to make sense of what I was trying to explain, and I have a feeling my words are short and somewhat gurgled.

When I have neither the strength, stamina, nor mind function any longer, I stop the hopeless battle with my eyelids and allow myself to slip back into the blissful state out blankness.

**Naruto's POV**

_"Because you're here."_ Her words echo endlessly through my head. Why would me being here automatically equal a dream? It's not that far of a stretch that I would be here. Is it? Even she drifts back into her sleep, I stay by her side.

Her father drops by, but only for a minute before he's off to something else. Kiba and Shino check in on her as well, they invite me to celebrate our victory with them, but I stay. She should have someone here when she wakes up again. "What do you mean it was a dream because I was here?" I ponder quietly aloud, gently smoothing her hair.

Occasionally I lightly brush my fingers over the features of her face; her forehead, her eyelids, her cheekbones, her lips. I never realized before just how soft Hinata is; her skin, her hair, her heart. I knew her heart was kind but everything else is new to me.

"Naruto," a voice says from behind me, my back towards the door. When I turn, I see Sakura standing there, arms behind her back. "How's she doing?"

"The doctors said she's gonna be fine."

"That's good news." The pink haired girl glances towards Hinata but only for a moment. "Lady Tsunade said she couldn't get any information on what happened out of her."

How she said it, I couldn't decipher whether it was a question or a statement of fact because her uncertain tone could mean either one. "Yeah, she said it's because she's on a lot of pain medicine."

"Naruto." She pauses, looking guilty as she fiddles with her hands that are still behind her back. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more in the field."

I don't know what, but something inside me wanted to roll my eyes. "It's fine Sakura, besides I was still able to get her to the hospital."

Sakura nods and brings her hands in front of her. "That's good."

Her saddened tone makes me groan internally. "Look Sakura, you did as much as you could and that probably saved er life." I don't want to feed into her need for approval but do anyways.

Automatically a smile emerges on her face. "So do you want to go to Ichiraku's? My treat." An overly expectant smile gleam is in her eyes as she rushes a few steps forward toward me.

I simply shake my head and look to the girl whose hand I'm holding. "Nah, I'm gonna stay here with Hinata."

"Well, you know she's gonna be fine. The doctors have already taken really good care of her."

Looking back to Sakura, her face had fallen dramatically at my rejection. "Yeah I know, but the last time she woke up she was really out of it. I'd hate for her to wake up and be all alone without anyone to help explain things to her."

"Right. Um, okay, well do you want some company?"

"No, I'm fine. But thanks."

"Are you sure?"

_Why is she trying so hard to be around me right now? _"Yep, I'm sure. I just want to make sure Hinata is alright when she wakes up." When Sakura opens her mouth to state that the doctor said she'll be fine, I jump in to stop her. "You know, emotionally speaking."

This seemed to puzzle her. "Since when do you care?"

This sparks something deep inside of me that forces me to drop Hinata's hand and my own hand to ball into a fist without my mind giving the order. "Since Hinata is one of my comrades who has almost died for me before."

My outburst makes her jaw drop a fraction. "Naruto, I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that usually you'll only stay for about ten minutes at most, and then you're odd to something else.

I clamp my teeth together tightly before responding, attempting to stop my mouth from saying something I might regret later. "_Usually_ Hinata isn't the one in here. And _usually_ she's not unconscious this long or beaten up this bad."

Sakura nods and, without another word, turns away and walks out of the room. _Why does everybody find it so hard to believe I would stay here with her?_ I think still standing with my hand clinched tightly. A quiet whimper from behind me catches my attention. When I look back to the bed Hinata's face is slightly scrunched and her delicate fingers are gripping the blanket covering her.

In a flash I'm back over to her. "Hinata?" I scan her face, trying to see if she's awake but it's hard to tell. "Hinata, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

It takes a while but eventually she opens her eyes. "N- Naruto."

"Yeah, I'm right here." I carefully uncurl her grasp on the blanket and caress her hand between both of mine.

"You, you really are here aren't you?" she whispers as she searches my face intently with half closed eyelids.

"Of course I'm here. Why wouldn't I be?" Although she still looks slightly out of it, she seems a little more focused than before; meaning now would a good time to get the answers to my question.


	3. Ch 3 A Consolation Prize

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 3 A Consolation Prize**

**Hinata's POV**

"Of course I'm here. Why wouldn't I be?" Naruto's tone is serious yet gentle at the same time.

My eyes dart to each and every angle of his face as my mind tries to form a rational answer for him, but when my brain comes up short of success I give my aching shoulders a halfhearted shrug. "Wasn't Sakura in here earlier? I could be mistaken but I thought I heard her in here."

This was the best explanation I can form for him, and judging from the expression he's giving, it only made him more confused and rather frustrated. "She was in here," he started, his voice sounding strained and as though he's trying to sort something out. "But what does that have to do with me being here?"

"I thought she invited you somewhere." I have no idea if the conversation I think I overheard was reality or something my imagination conjured.

"She did, she invited me to get some ramen with her, but I said no. Hinata, you haven't answered my question. Why don't you think I'd be here?"

"We won the battle didn't we?" I feel my face scrunch up despite the bandages on it.

"Of course we did, but that _still_ doesn't answer my question." His voice is becoming more aggravated, but he still manages to maintain his gentle tone.

I look at my hands and pull them out of his, circling my index fingers around each other. "Well I guess it doesn't make sense for you to be here. I mean, I'm me and you're you. Besides, I heard that Sakura said she loved you."

My eyelids are open enough to see his eyes widen ad his jaw drop slightly. "She did, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I. I, um." I feel embarrassed when I start fumbling over my words. "I know how much you care for her, and so I guess I thought maybe you felt the same way about her."

"Sakura was lying to herself." His voice is unwavering and has no trace of disappointment or regret. "She misses Sasuke and was trying to find a substitute for his absence." In all the time I've known him, I've never heard Naruto talk this formally before. "She wanted so badly to fill whatever void Sasuke left, that she convinced herself that I was who she really wanted. But I won't be the replacement Sasuke."

There's a slight ping of gratification at his declaration, but it's quickly overshadowed by disappointment when my brain thought this through rationally. Although he stated he wouldn't be with her to make up for Sasuke, he didn't deny that he has feelings for her. Just as he won't be a substitute Sasuke, I don't want to be a substitute Sakura.

**Naruto's POV**

Hinata's face gives nothing away as to what she's thinking. She's just lying there twiddling her fingers aimlessly and I'm not even sure she knows she's doing it. The silence between us is awkward and uncomfortable, and the longer it last the more Hinata's beautiful face begins to fall. "Hinata, what's wrong?" I ask cautiously. Instead of answering me, she turns her face so she's facing the opposite direction of me, breathing deeply and trying to keep a faltering mask of passiveness. "Hinata, please. What wrong?"

She shakes her head and when she does a small tear trickles down her face. "Hey, hey." My hand rushes to catch the tear. "Please, tell me what going through your mind."

Her hands, despite the IV, fly up to her eyes as she shakes her head again. "It's not relevant," she breathes out quietly and harshly. "It doesn't matter."

"Hey, hey," I coax, carefully trying to pull her hands from her face. "It matters to me, Hinata. So please, just tell me." I finally get her hands to her sides so I can see her delicate face. Although her eyes are still squeezed shut, she doesn't move to cover her face again. She doesn't say anything as she lies there, slightly shaking from trying to rein in her tears. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong?

"Because none of it matters."

I take a deep breath to calm my frustration and try a different approach. "Why doesn't it matter?"

She turns her head away again and speaks softly. "It doesn't matter because even though you don't want to the consolation prize for Sakura, I know your heart still lies with her."

For the first time in a long time I'm left speechless. _How can she think that I still want to be with Sakura? Yeah, I know I used to have a crush on her but times change and I grew past that. _"Hinata," I mumble out after a moment. "I don't want to be with Sakura. For years Sakura has treated me as nothing more than a pain in the neck and has never shown any sign that she loved me. I got over her a _long_ time ago."

She turned back to me and I can tell from her expression that she doesn't believe me. "Naruto, you don't have to tell me what you think I want to hear." Her voice still maintained the she hesitancy it usually does, despite her darkened underlying tone.

"Hinata, I'm not just saying things it's true!" It seems nothing I say can convince her otherwise, so I do the only thing I can think of to prove myself. I place one of my hands on her cheek and lean down towards her face.

Her breathing quickens as I get closer, but I keep leaning until our lips meets. I don't know what or why, but the second out mouth touch something courses through me. Even though I can't see her with my eyes closed, I can feel her jump slightly. My body urges me to push further -to deepen the kiss- and I'm inclined to listen to it but all too suddenly her head turns away from me.

There's a ping of sadness in me at the rejection, but that's quickly replaced with concern when I open my eyes and see she's unconscious. "Hinata?" I say, gently shaking her.


	4. Ch 4 Close Proximity

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 4 Close Proximity**

**Hinata's POV**

I can see the frustration on his face as I argue with what he's saying. "Hinata, I'm not just saying thing, it's true!" he nearly shouts.

His eyes shift around the room as if something in here will help him. When his gaze is back on me there's a new look on his face. He places his hand on the side of my face and begins lowering his head to mine. When his eyes close it seems like my lungs aren't getting air quickly enough and and my breathing become quick and uneven.

The closer he gets the more my hearts speeds up, but it stops completely the moment his lips touch mine. Soon my cheeks get unbelievably warm -from the blush I'm certain is spreading throughout my face- and my eyelids become increasingly heavy, falling downward until they're completely shut. Every nerve ending in me is kicked into overdrive until it becomes unbearably overwhelming and my body shuts down. I try fighting the black, but it happens so quicklu I can do nothing to stop it. Every section of my body and mind collapses are I fall into a state of unconsciousness.

"You said she was awake a moment ago," I hear a woman grumbling.

"She was but then she passed out," says a voice that sounds like Naruto's.

"How many times do I have to tell you this? She's under a lot of painkillers," The woman says the last part slowly, emphasizing her words dramatically.

"Yeah, but it wasn't like when she fell asleep before. This was really sudden."

"What happened when she passed out? What was she doing?"

"Well, um, she. We, I was um, well." Naruto is fumbling over his words horribly.

"What. Were. You. Doing?" she emphasizes each and every syllable. "Spit it out already!" It's easy to hear her growing frustration.

There's a very heavy, very audible sigh and a quiet moan. "I- her."

I'm not able to catch all of what he said and figure it's because of the pain medication, that is until I hear the other woman say, "What? Speak up Naruto!"

"I kissed her!" he almost shouts.

There's a long pause and I wonder if they left the room. "You did what?" she finally asks.

"I kissed Hinata."

"And you wonder why she passed out?!" Naruto, that girl faints just from being in a close proximity of you! Why would you even-"

"It seemed like the thing to do!" he interrupts. There was a long pause before either of them say anything. "She was crying and she wouldn't listen to anything I was telling."

"What in the world would you be trying to tell her that you though kissing her was the only way to get the message through?"

It's so unthinkably hard to do but eventually I'm able to get my eyes open enough to see Naruto and Lady Tsunade. There's a battle between my consciousness and my body as to opening my eyes as I focused as intently as I could on Naruto, desperately awaiting his answer.

The blonde boy sighs again and gently shakes his head with his eyes on the floor. "I was trying to tell her that I care about her."

Lady Tsunade doesn't look so convinced. "You care about Rock Lee but you don't kiss him to let him know. So, do you want to try again?"

Naruto looks slightly angry and more than a little annoyed. "I was trying to tell her-" He stops for a second and chuckled without humor. "Why does it even matter Grandma Tsunade?"

"Why is it bothering you so much?" The Hokage countered his question with her own. "Why are you trying so hard to avoid telling me?"

Naruto searches her face endlessly as though that would give him answers, that is until his eyes wander over to me. "Look! She's awake!" I call out loudly. "Hinata, how are you feeling? How much do you remember?"

His close proximity makes me feel muddled again. "I. I'm not sure."

**Naruto's POV**

"I kissed her!" I shout at the Hokage. _There!_ I think holding her stare. _I said it._

For a long while she just looks at me, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "You did what?" she asks, finally saying something.

"I kissed Hinata." This time I say it quieter but still loud enough for her to hear me.

"And you wonder why she passed out?! Naruto that girl faints just from being within a close proximity of you! Why would you even-"

"It seemed like the thing to do!" Part of me thinks it's bad to interrupt the Hokage, but a bigger part doesn't care. "She was crying and she wouldn't listen to what I was telling her."

"What in the world would you be trying to tell her that you though kissing her would be the way to get the message through?"

For some reason I can't look her in the eye anymore. "I was trying to tell her that I care about her,  
I sigh out.

Taking a chance I glace back up to her and see her shaking her head. "You care about Rock Lee but you don't kiss him to let him know. So, do you want to try again?"

I can feel a strange anger rising in me but I have no idea where it's coming from and try answering. "I was trying to tell her-" I stop, not knowing how to go on. "Why does it even mater Grandma Tsunade?" I chuckle breathlessly.

"Why is it bother you so much?" she shoots back. "Why are you trying so hard to avoid telling me?"

Now my eyes go everywhere except Grandma Tsunade and when they fall on the beauty in bed I see her beautiful eyes looking at me. "Look! She's awake!" I almost sing out. "Hinata how are you feeling? How much do you remember?" I ask rushing over to her, fighting the urge to grab her hand.

"I. I'm not sure," she mumbles sounding confused as her light purple irises searched around the room.

"Are you in pain?" Grandma Tsunade asks, walking over to the two of us.

"No, I mean not really. I'll be alright," she mutters still looking around.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Naruto and I were talking, I think." There's an obvious confusion in her voice. "We were talking about him and Sakura Haruno." I can tell she wants to say more but she stops and I wonder if it's about the kiss.

"Hinata, when you're feeling better I'd like for you to come to my office so we can go over a few things. Alright?" When Hinata nods, the Hokage gives her a smile and begins leaving. "I have to go now. And Naruto, no more stress on her," she demands quietly, pointing her finger in my face.

Once she's gone I take a seat next to Hinata's bed once more. "How are you doing?" I ask not knowing what else to say.

"You're still here," she says with a wonder in voice.

"Yes, I'm still here." I can't keep the frustration out of my voice. _Why is it so hard for her to believe that I want to be here?_

"I cold have sworn it was a dream," she whispers out quietly.

"Hinata, listen to me." I grab her hand, giving up on trying to fight the desire to hold it. I take several deep breaths with my eyes shut and don't open them until I've built up the determination to just say it. "Hinata Huga, I love you."

Hey eyes go wide and she stares. I just sit there waiting for her to respond, which takes a while. "You what?"

"I love you," I repeat quietly.

She gently shakes her head like she's trying to figure something out. "I, what? Really?"

"Yeah really." She goes back to just staring at me, saying nothing and not moving. If it wasn't for the my heightened awareness of her right now, I might think that she stopped breathing. "Hinata, aren't you going to say something?"

"I. I-" her words are jumbled and short as her brain tries to come up with a response. "How can you be sure?" She seems uncertain of her question.

I almost feel insulted but looking at the confused and speechless look on her face, that feeling doesn't get very far. "Because when I look at you I can feel my heart race. Because even though I know how strong you are, I still want to lock you away so no one can ever hurt you again. The thought of losing you was so unbearable I thought my chest would explode." I feel like a complete idiot at how cheesy that all just sounded. "And most of all, because I would like nothing more than to keep you in my arms forever." When that comes out of my mouth I want to slap myself for that unbelievably corny line, but that's soon forgotten when another tear trickles from her eye.

"Her what's wrong?" I place my hand on her face and gently stroke her cheekbone with my thumb, effectively wiping away the teardrop.


	5. Ch 5 Fantasies

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 5 Fantasies**

**Hinata's POV**

His hand is on my cheek while his thumb is lightly brushing against my skin. I can't believe I'm crying, it's completely irrational but it won't stop. "Hey, what's wrong?" his tone is soft and patient, which seems really out of character for him. Then again so did his small speech about loving me. I don't know if I should believe him or try to wake up from this beautifully cruel dream. "Hinata, please just say something. Please just tell me waht's on your mind."

I take a deep breath and for a small moment I allow myself to lean into his hand. "I'm afraid I'm going to wind up waking up and this will all be a dream," I whisper just barely loud enough for him to hear.

"Hinata, I promise you this isn't a dream. I love you." He smiles and then chuckles quietly.

"What?" I ask not knowing what is so amusing.

His hand moves to the top of my head. "I almost kissed you, but I don't want you passing out again," he laughs lightly. I can feel my face begin to heat up as I look everywhere but at him. "Hey, I wasn't trying to embarrass you," he says smoothing down my hair. He bends down and kisses my forehead, making my face that much warmer. "I'm sorry," he mumbles when he sees the color of my face. "I didn't mean to make you blush more."

Naruto raises my to his lips, with the inside flipped upwards, and gently kisses my inner palm. "Should I go?" he asks quietly.

I almost shout "no" but then think about how long he's been here. _He's probably bored out of his mind._ I think finally looking at his face. "Yeah I guess you probably want to get out of here," I murmur looking away once again.

"No, that's not it," he tries assuring me.

"You've been here for a while. I understand if you want to leave. I'm sure you've had people offering to take you to Ichiraku's."

"No, I only asked because I just thought you might be more comfortable if I left."

"Naruto, if you want to go you can. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to, I understand. And besides you must be exhausted."

A certain look washes over his face that tells me I'm right about him being tired. "well I do need to go home to bathe, but I'll be right back after that. Okay?"

I lightly shake my head and give him a weary smile. "You don't have to hurry. In fact, you should really get some sleep."

"No, I'm gonna take a shower, then come right back. Alright?"

When I give him a nod, he leans down and kisses the top of my head once more. "I'll be right back," he tells me before exiting the room.

**Naruto's POV**

_I can't believe all of that just happened._ I think as I run back to my place. In seemingly no time at all I'm in my apartment and and stepping into my shower. "I just told Hinata I loved her," I mumble aloud. My brain is desperately trying to make sense of how I feel about all o this but I keep coming up short.

I try to think about something else, anything else, but somehow my thoughts always lead back to her. Before I know it I'm getting out of the shower and grabbing a towel. I look in the mirror and just stare.

I let my mind wander off and picture Hinata standing in front of me. Her arms winding around my waist as I lean down to kiss the soft, perfect lips. My hands on her back as I pull her body closer to mine. The way she shivers ever so slightly when I hold her tight and whisper, "I love you."

Through the haze of my fantasy I begin to wonder how Hinata feels about all of this. Although she's said she loved me before, that was a while ago and I never addressed the issue since, her feelings might have changed. She was blushing so much when I kissed her forehead, but that doesn't mean anything. Hinata has always been shy, so that could the only reason she was blushing. Although she seemed to enjoy the idea of me loving her, she didn't actually say it back.

_I have to get back to the hospital and get my answers. _After hurriedly getting my clothes on, I bound out the door and begin rushing to the hospital. The entire way there I can't stop the back and forth thoughts in my head. It won't stop going from _"I'm pretty sure she loves me too," _to _"Her feeling might have change like yours did with Sakura." _The back and forth, swing set like, thoughts remind me of the game little girls play as the pluck the petal off a flower one by one. All the while singing "he loves me, he loves me not," as each new petal falls to the ground.

When I finally reach the hospital my thoughts have me wound tighter Grandma Tsunade when Pervy Sage tried peeking on her in the bathhouse. "Hinata!" I all but yell as I burst her room. "I have to ask-" I stop mid-sentence, seeing her eyes closed and her chest rising an falling with deep, even breaths.

All the urgency I felt just moments ago, melts away as I take in the sight before me. I sit down on the chair next to her bed and I feel the small smile begin to spread on my face. My questions can wait until later, right now the only thing I want is to be with her as she sleeps.


	6. Ch 6 Just a Dream

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 6 Just a Dream**

**Hinata POV**

_"Hinata Huga, I love you." _ Naruto's words keeping replaying in my head. I can't count how many times I've dreamed of hearing those words and now that I have, I can't believe I. Nearly all my life I've wondered what it would be like for him to say that to me and it feels like my head is spinning.

Right now I'm glad he left, that way he won't see the school girl smile that keeps gracing me with its presence no matter how hard I try to keep it at bay. "Ah, Lady Hinata, I see your awake," I hear from the doorway. When I look I see a nurse walking towards me with a warm smile on her face. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine thank you," I say ignoring the pain that's slowly intensifying as the medication wears off.

"How's your head feeling?" she asks as she changes my IV bag.

I lift my hand to the spot where I feel the most pain and gently feel over the bandages. "Um, alright. It's a little sore, but nothing too bad." That's a lie. My head is actually beginning to throb but she doesn't need to know that.

"Well, I'm going to give you some medicine and that should help ease the pain," she explains happily. Before I can protest, she's injecting something into my IV and soon after I'm slipping back into unconsciousness.

_Naruto and I are sitting beneath a tree. His head resting in my lap as his soft snores fill the air. There's just the slightest breeze as the sun overhead lights up everything it touches. My fingers find their way to his hair, and absently running through it as I stare off in the distance. Nothing could be better than this._

_ Spending the day with the man I love. It's everything I could ever want. "Hinata," I hear from the boy in my lap._

_ I smile as I look down and see his eyes wide open with that heartbreaking grin on his face. "Hi, did you have a good nap?" I ask, my fingers grazing his cheeks._

_ He stretches for a moment that the same smirk still on his face. "Yeah," he mutters, settling once more on my lap. His hand reaches up but instead of placing it on my face as I had expected, he grabs the back of my head and pulls it down until our faces are inches apart. I close my eyes and prepare for a kiss, however the kiss I receive is not on my lips but on the end of my nose._

_ A small giggle bubbles out of me as I pull away. When I look into his eyes they're filled with amusement and something that looks like admiration. "Hey get back here," he laughs, puling my face back to him. This time our lips actually touch and it's like fire coursing through my body._

A low beeping noise begins to stir me, forcing my eyes to open. I'm no longer sitting outside with Naruto, I'm back in the hospital. _It was just a dream._ I think sadly. I take another glance at my surroundings and this time I see that Naruto's head is lying on my upper thighs, his back moving up and down in a deep steady way with his hand in mine. _It's almost like my dream. _I think as I chuckle lightly.

Very carefully, I allow my other hand to gently smooth down the hair on his head. The small movement causes his body to twitch and jerk his head upward to meet my gaze. "Hinata, you're awake," he mumbles, his voice heavy and hoarse with sleep. He drops my hand for a moment as he stretches and rubs his sleepy eyes, then when he's done with that he takes hold of my left hand once again. "How are you feeling?" he yawns out.

The lightest of smiles emerges on my face at his concern. "I'm alright," I say softly. "What about you? You look so tired." I take note of the dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm fine," he assures me despite the exhaustion in his voice.

My heart softens, yes at the same time squeezes at his determination to stay by my side even though it's clear he hasn't gotten any real sleep in days. I know he hasn't allowed his body to get any actual sleep in days since the battle took place for over three days -and he was in the field for every single one of them- and then there's the hazy memories I recall of him staying beside me in the hospital for the two I've been in here. "Naruto you should have stayed home to rest."

That statement seemed to bring him to something, I don't know what it is but the look on his face makes me feel as though I should explain. "It's that I'm not happy to have you here but you really should have gotten sleep."

"I'm a ninja," he exclaims with his signature smile on his face, although that smile is deluded with sleep deprivation. "We're supposed to be able to endure _weeks_ without sleep."

Although I know he's exaggerating, the meaning behind it is the same. "Naruto," I say with a half scolding tone in my voice. "Just because we're conditioned to go without sleep doesn't mean you should," I lecture. "Especially when the situation doesn't call for it."

There's a look on his face that I can't quite decipher. "But the situation does call for it," he murmurs so quietly I almost don't hear it. "I have to make sure you're okay."

I feel a ping of both guilt and slight disappointment with his statement. Guilt, because he's not allow himself to sleep because of me and disappointment because I know he wants to make sure all of his comrades are going to be alright. "Naruto, the doctors say I'll be fine," I tell him, ignoring the petty little girl inside of me who is only thinking of her love life (or lack of one.)

He rolls his eyes and sighs before looking back to me again. "Yeah, yeah. I heard what Grandma Tsunade and the rest of the doctors said , but that doesn't mean that I'm gonna stop worrying about you."

I can't stop the smile from coming onto my face. "Thank you," I murmur quietly.

There's a strange look on his face before he sighs heavily. "Hinata," he breathes out. "There's something we have to talk about."

Those seven words have the power to make my heart jump while at the same time send it plummeting into my stomach. "Oh okay," I mutter pulling my hand from his and twining my fingers together nervously.

There's a small hint of a disappointed look on his face as he looks into my eyes. "Hinata," he starts off quietly. "About what I said before I left." He stops for a briefly with a mournful look on his face.

"Don't worry, I understand," I mumble feeling my heart sink deep in my chest as I avert my eyes away from his. _He regrets what he said._ I think, feeling a sadness I've never felt before. _I knew this could never be true. It was a bittersweet fantasy that he momentarily played along with, but every fantasy must find its end._

"You understand what, Hinata?" he asks making me glance at him ever so quickly.

On his face I can see the deep confusion in his features. "You were exhausted and had been by my bedside for days. You were worried about whether or not I was going to live and relieved when you found out I was," I explain, my eyes never leaving my hands.

"Well yeah, that true but I don't see what that has to do wi-"

"We were in a moment," I say interrupting him. "And when people are caught in a moment they say things they don't mean." I can feel the tears trying to brim my eyes as I prepare myself to continue but I won't allow them to fall. "That's all it was Naruto." My voice is cracking and I have to clear my throat to push away the tightening in it. "Just a moment A tender moment that you were made victim of. You were caught up in the mixture of anxiety and relief and that led you to say things you didn't mean."

One tear escapes my eyes against my will and I quickly wipe it away. "Hinata, that's not what happened," Naruto says grabbing my left hand before I can reunite it with my right.

I chuckle softly and without humor. "It's alright Naruto. I understand completely and I'm not upset with you." My voice is thick with the sob threatening to break loose but I manage to keep it contained. "You regret saying that you love me." It's getting harder and harder to speak but I know I have to finish otherwise I never will. "You're wishing you never said those words to me and want to be able to take them back. I get it Naruto, truly I do. You don't have to worry, I won't hold this against you."

"Hinata," he says his voice soft as a feather, with a tone that's trying to persuade me to look at him. "Hinata, look at me," he says when my eyes stay focused on my right hand. The hand that's not holding mine places itself on my right cheek and carefully nudges it trying to get me to look. "Please Hinata, look at me."

**Naruto's POV**

I can't believe she actually thinks I didn't mean it, that I regret what I said to her. Why is it so hard for her to believe that I love her? "Hinata, please," I plead, trying to get her to turn her head without being forceful or accidentally hurting her. "I need you to look at me." It takes her a few moments before she brings herself to look at me and the pain I see in her eyes hits something in the very core of me . Her unshed tears make me want to wind her in my arms and never let her go.

I try to fight the desire my mind and body are urging me towards but the battle was pretty much lost before it's even begun. I wrap my arms around her shoulders, holding her against my chest with my right hand cupping the back of her head. "Oh Hinata," I whisper. "I don't regret anything." I pull away but grasp her face in both my hands so she can't look away. "What I said wasn't because I was 'victim'," I spit out the ridiculous word she has used before, like _I_ could be a victim, "of some moment. Yes I was for a while, and was terrified you weren't going to make it. And yes, I can't begin to explain how relieved I was when you finally woke up, but that wasn't the reason I told you I love you ."

I can see her breathing catch at my words. "The reason I told you I love you is because it's true." This comes out sounding more harsh and forceful than I had intended, but I need for her to believe me. She has to understand that what I'm telling her is the truth. "Hinata, feelings for you go beyond friendship and I wish it hadn't taken you almost dying for me to accept it."

There's a strangled sound that comes out of her that sounds like a mixture of a groan and a sob, as she tightly shuts her eyes and I have no idea what it means. "Oh Naruto," she cries out so quietly I almost don't hear it. She opens those beautiful lavender eyes to me and the tears she was fighting so hard to keep at bay are rolling down her face. "That feeling is fleeting." I open my mouth to protest, but she's speaking again before I can get anything out. "You were scared I wasn't going to make it and now you're overwhelmed with emotion. You _think_ you love me because I almost died, but once everything goes back to normal I promise that feeling will fade."

Her telling me how I feel starts to anger me but then a new thought dawns on me, making me to drop my hands to my sides. "Is that what happened for you?" I ask numbly, my mouth saying the words before my brain gives the order. A big part me wants to take it back -afraid of what the answer might be- but an even bigger part of me knows that I need to know the truth.

Her eyebrows pull together for a moment. "Wh-what? What do you mean?" she asks uncertainly.

I take a deep breath before I elaborate. "When you were defending me against Pain, you said you loved me." I can see the recollection in her eyes before I continue. "Were you only saying that because you thought I could die? When everything turned out alright and we were back in the village, did those feelings go away when everything went back to normal?" Now that it's out there that anxious feeling from before returns as I await her answer.

Hinata's eyes widen and her mouth pops open slightly before a rare look of unwavering resolve plants itself firmly on her face. "No," she says without any trace of uncertainty. "Naruto, my feelings for you have never changed. When I told you I loved you it wasn't because of any fear of you dying, it was because I meant it." Right now her voice is stronger and more determined than it's been since she's been in the hospital. "I have always loved you Naruto, ever since that day you came to my rescue when we were kids and those boys were bullying me. You were so brave and fearless. You _are_ brave and fearless. You've always been so strong and you've made me want to become stronger as well. You have never given up and always push people to follow suit. You are kind, fierce and never let the people you make promises to. You're funny and unorthodox and have never been afraid to be yourself. _That_ is why I said I love you not because of some fleeting moment of terror."

Her declaration leaves me stunned silent for a moment. "Hinata," I say finally finding my voice once more. "How can you say that me telling you 'I love you' is different than you telling me you love me?"

She sighs heavily. "Because you are only _now_ feeling this way. I've loved you my whole life.

"And I've loved you since the day you tried to free me from Pain, maybe even before that," I blurt out loudly. "I just couldn't realize, or couldn't accept it then."

She bites her bottom lip, looking as though she's suppressing a sob, before saying anything. "Naruto, as much as I have wished for you to love me back -to the words which you are saying to me now- I can't allow myself to even consider it."

"Why not?" I ask in an almost pleading tone.

"Because if I let myself believe that you could actually love and you realize that you really don't, that this was all just in the heat of the moment, I don't know if I could handle that."

Fresh tears brim her eyes and it breaks my heart to see them. "Hinata, I promise you, this isn't a heat of the moment kind of thing. I love you."

How can you be sure?"

I want to say something profound and meaningful, yet that's not what comes out of my mouth. "I don't know, I just am," is what I say instead. _Way to sound like a caveman._ I think chiding myself. _What happened to that speech I gave earlier? As cheesy as it's still better than "I don't know I just do."_ The look on her face tells me that she's not impressed with that answer either. "Look Hinata, I'm not the best when it comes to fancy words and elegant speeches, but I always say what I mean. And when I know something, I know it and there's nothing you -or anyone else- can do or say to change my mind."

"Like with Sakura Haruno?" Now her voice is calm and the tears sliding down her cheek are now dry. She doesn't give me time to respond or even think about she said before she start talking again. "You've liked her since the Ninja Academy. Are you going to tell me that those feeling went away over night? That you, as you put it, changed your mind?"

"Hinata, I say my voice baffled. "My feelings for Sakura were just a crush."

"And that's what people said about my feelings for you. That all it was, was simple crush. But it isn't, those feelings are still there for me. Can you really say that it's not the same for you with Sakura?"

I shake my head lightly as I try to process what she's saying. "Sakura wanted me to be Sasuke for her. I don't want to be a substitute for her because she can't have to man she wants."

Her bottom lip quivers as she takes a deep breath. "And I don't want to a replacement because you can't have her."


	7. Ch 7 Believe In Me

**Lies of Love and Loathing**

**Ch. 7 Believe In Me**

**Hinata's POV**

"And I don't want to be a replacement, or a second choice because you can't have her," I say with painful conviction. I never knew how painful this would be, to have Naruto tell me he loves me only to feel like it isn't true.

His eyes are filled with a mixture of shock and hurt at my words. "Hinata, you're not a second choice for me," he says softly yet at the same time forcefully. "To me, you're the only choice. You are the only person I want to be with."

"I know you think that now, but you can't be certain you'll feel this way once all of this blows over." Why can't I just believe him? Believe that everything he's saying is the truth? I've waited my entire life to hear him say this, so why can't I just accept it and be happy?

His growing frustration is easy to see. "Why can't you just believe me when I say that this feeling isn't going to change or go away?"

He sounds so sincere, it takes everything in me not to cave in and allow myself to accept that his feelings are true. "Because if I let myself believe this and you _do_ change your mind later on, that will crush me."

He throws his hands over his face for a moment. "Hinata," he groans loudly before dropping his hands. "How can I convince you that this feeling isn't going to change? What can I do to prove it to you? Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." The way his eyes are searching my face I can tell he really does want an answer. "Please Hinata, just tell me what to do and I'll do it. Whatever it is, just tell me and it's done." Although I can easily see he truly does want answer, unfortunately I have no answer to give so I stay silent. "Hinata, please. Just talk to me, we can figure this out."

"I'm not sure that we can," I whisper, no longer able to look at him.

I feel both of his hands grasp mine. "Don't say that," he says with mild desperation in his voice. Once again I'm silent. "Hinata, don't shut down just talk to me. We can figure this out together you just have to believe in me." Those last three words catch my attention but not enough to look at him. "Do you Hinata?" he asks reluctantly. "Do you believe in me?"

Now my body and mind leave me with no other alternative but to turn my head towards him and stare into his beautiful blue eyes. "I have always believed in you Naruto Uzumaki," I say without needing to think about it.

The smallest of smiles graces his lips and he leans ever so slightly. "Then believe me when I say that we can figure this out. Believe me when I tell you that I _am_ going to prove to you that this feeling isn't going anywhere, I don't know how I'm going to prove it but I will. I _will_ prove to you that my love for you is true and unwavering, believe it!"

For a seemingly endless moment my heart stops as my breath catches in my throat. _He might actually mean this._ A voice in my mind says in wonder.

**Naruto's POV**

"I _will_ prove to you that my love for you is true and unwavering, believe it!" I declare to her. Part of me feels childish and like a complete idiot with that last part, but a bigger part of me doesn't care. I love this girl and I will do anything in my power to make her believe that without a doubt that it's true.

For a short second, Hinata intakes a short breath but doesn't release it. She's staring into my eyes and I honestly don't know whether or not she's breathing. "Perhaps there is a way to prove whether or not you're feelings are true, to show that this isn't just the heat of the moment."

I do what I can not to show the smile I can feel forming on my face, but I have idea if it's working as I try to contain relief that she's thought of something. "What is it?" I ask trying not to sound _too_ eager. "Whatever it is I'll do it."

Her teeth lightly bite her bottom lip either in embarrassment or trying to figure out what to say, but either way I she looks adorable when doing it. "Give this two months," she says sheepishly. "Two months of thinking this through. And if by the end of two months you still want to be with me, then I'll believe you."

The smile I've been trying to keep under control can no longer be contained with my excitement. "You got it!" I nearly sing out. "In two months you'll see that what I'm telling the truth about how I feel." A smile all her own slowly creeps on her face and I begin leaning closer to those perfect lips. Before our mouths touch she holds her hand out to stop me. "Hinata, what's wrong?" I ask, confused with her rejection.

"Two months," she says softly. "You have to wait two months and if you feel this way at the end of it _then_ we can try this." Now she's gone back to twiddling her fingers nervously.

All I can do is stare at her for a moment, trying to process what she's saying to me. "Wait, I can't kiss you?" I say, unable to keep the baffled almost appalled tone out of my voice. She doesn't look at me as she shakes her head. "But, why not?"

"Because I want to make sure your feelings are real." Her eyes shift up towards me, gazing at me through her lashes. "If you still feel like kissing me after two months then that's fine, but we have to wait and make sure."

My eyes are wide and my jaw is hanging open slightly. "For two months?" I question shock and astonishment in my voice. Her eyes are once again on her hands as she nods. "Two months? I can't kiss you for two months?" The only response I get from her before she turns to me again is another nod of her head. "How about a week?" I ask in a counter proposal.

"No," she exclaims shaking her head. "Naruto, I told you, I have to make sure these feelings aren't going anywhere. Two months."

There's no way I can keep the distasteful look off my face. "Okay, I get that but why can't I kiss you in the meantime?"

The same saddened expression she wore earlier is now back on her delicate, bandage wrapped face. "You're not allowed to kiss me until two months is over because if I wind up being right it will only make it that much worse." I open my mouth to question what she means, but she's already explaining before I get a chance to ask. "If I allow you to kiss me before the two months is up, then I might slip up and believe that you really mean it. And if I believe you and it turns that I was in fact right, that will crush me. I want to believe you, I really do, but I have to be careful."

I want so badly to argue with her, to tell her once more that my feelings are real but I know that won't do me any good. I sigh heavily and close my eyes for a moment. "How about one month?" I ask, trying to bargain with her.

"Naruto," she sighs, pinching her eyes closed in frustration. "I told you-"

"That you want to wait and see if my feelings are real," I say interrupting her. "I got that, but what's wrong with one month?" I can tell by the look on her face and by the way she opens her mouth that she wants to say something but I have to explain before she does. "Look Hinata, if you really believe my mind can change then one month will be plenty of time for it to do so."

She seems to ponder this for a moment. "Okay," she mumbles uncertainly. "I suppose one month would sufficient."

A triumphant smile spreads across my face at her acceptance of my compromise. "Good. Then in one month you'll see that I love you and that isn't going to change." She smiles ever so slightly and by the way it looks, it would appear that she's trying to suppress it. "Oh yeah," I say as though I remembered something. "Before I forget."

Her eyes meet mine as she waits for what I want to say, however everything I need to say can be summed up in one action. Before she can argue, I lean down and place my lips on hers. Although I had only intended to give her a quick peck, I can't help myself from lingering on hers, moving at a slow steady pace. Before I can deepen our lips' embrace she puts a hand on my chest and pushes me away. "Naruto, I thought we agreed one month," she chides with a shaky breathless voice.

"I know, but I needed one more for the road," I laugh, unphased by her mildly disapproving tone. _One month._ I think with determination. _In one month she'll know I mean business and we can be together._


End file.
